Letter from Lieutenant General Peadar MacMahon to Seán Nunan (Dublin)
(Confidential) (Copy)

Referring to your letter of 25th February¹ last regarding an enquiry from the British Embassy as to whether agreement could be accorded to arrangements for the evacuation to Ireland of women and children from Britain in the event of war, and in the same circumstances to the posting of naval personnel in Ireland as shipping advisers, my Minister² sees no object, in principle, to your agreeing in both cases.

As regards the shipping advisers, it is assumed that their functions and powers would be similar to those which they operated during the last emergency period.

In the case of the evacuation of women and children, it will be necessary to keep in mind our own evacuation problems. It would be essential, therefore, that we should be consulted before approval is given to any detailed arrangements which may be proposed. If the arrangement visualised evacuation on a fairly large scale, it might be desirable that the question of the British making available materials for temporary accommodation in the form of hutments or camps, food supplies, etc., should be raised.